Actions

Business owners react to potential FDA restrictions on e-cigarettes

Under the proposed rule from the FDA, stores selling flavored e-cigarettes will see some restrictions. One, vape shops will be one of the only places allowed to sell fruity flavored e-cigarettes and two, the FDA wants to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.

The potential restrictions come as e-cigarette is up by 78 percent with high school students and 48 percent among middle school students.

Most vape shop owners agree minors should not be smoking. However, Tom Bowen, the director of operation at Alohma, says adults deserve the opportunity to choose which flavors they are vaping.

Sam Salayhem, the CEO of Alohma's parent company says that flavor is an important draw for adults to quit cigarettes.

"With those who started with a fruity flavor, their likelihood of staying off cigarettes and vaping after 365 days increases if they had started with a fruity flavor because we believe that mentally that sets a big gap between the flavor of cigarettes and the fruits," Salayhem said, "it's hard to go back.....the sad reality is that what is banned has always been attractive."

Copyright 2018 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.